The leading cause of homelessness is the end of a tenancy. But while thousands find themselves without a place to live, there are over 500,000 empty homes in the UK. 200,000 have of these have been empty for more than six months; 11,000 have been empty for over ten years.

With government-built social housing down by 85% since 2010 there are few options for those who find themselves unable to secure housing. Increasingly, the most vulnerable find themselves with no fixed abode.

Being without a permanent address affects more than housing. Created to identify places, addresses are increasingly becoming the de-facto way to identify people.

This means that without an address, you are severed from the support you need to recover from entering homelessness. This includes benefits, identification, job applications, a bank account, a driving license, library access, a marriage certificate, and PO boxes.

The reason people need support the most is the reason they are prevented from accessing it.